Internal-combustion motor



E. A. FORD.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. l9l8.

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INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25.19l8.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

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EUGENE A. FORD, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. E. DLENGINECOMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed September 25, 1918. Serial No. 255.600.

cylinder internal combustion motors and has among its principal objectsthe following first, to produce a motor deslgned to develop large powersand having comparatively light weight, with consequent-high power perunit of weight, whereby it is particularly Well adapted for use inaviation. Second, to provide a novel and improved means of ignitioneffective to cause certain ignition of the combustible charge in eachcylinder and avoiding necessity of electric ignition means. Third, tocombine such ignition means with provisions for admission of the fuelcomponent of the combustible Working charge, whereby simultaneous fueladmission and ignition are to be effected at given times, and danger ofpre-ignition as well as of necessity for a carbureter are avoided.Fourth, to enable successively acting cylinders of the motor to serve toa degree as a storage reservoir of compressed working fluid for oneanother. Fifth, to apply 1n. a motor having a multiplicity of radiallyarranged cylinders the idea of double opposed pistons in each cylinderlSixth,

to make an internal combustion motor having cylinders arranged about theaxis of the shaft in substantially the same plane transverse to suchaxis and operating on the two stroke cycle. The invention consists inthe means, and the principles underlying such means, which I havedevised and provided to accomplish the foregoing and other objects,explained in the following specification.

' In the drawings accompanying this specification, I have illustrated ina diagrammatic manner the principal parts, in their preferredarrangement and method of coaction one with another, of a motorembodying my invention and effective to fulfil the obJects above setforth. Of these drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the motor. Fig. 2 isa diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view of the m0- tor on line 22 ofFig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are diagrammatic fragmentary views of twoadlacent cylinders and of the cranks and pistons associated therewith inrespectively different closely-following successive pos1- tioris.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

At the outset I will explain that my pur- -pose in making the presentapplication is to protect the fundamental ideas of means foraccomplishing the objects hereinbefore stated, rather than any specificdetailed forms of such means; and that the principles underlying thecombinations, arrangements, and operation of such means can be moreclearly shown and explained with reference to drawings illustrating thesame in a diagrammatic manner than by drawings showing all mechanicaldetails necessary to a motor in condition for instant operation.Therefore, in making the present drawings I .have contented myself withshowing diagrammatically only the parts essential to a description andunderstanding of my present invention as hereinafter claimed, omittingall details which, although practically necessary to an instantlyoperative motor, yet are either not novel with me, or are not claimed asparts of the present invention, and embodiments of which, suitable forbuildin such an operative motor may be supplied by persons skilled inthe art from constructions already known and in common use; The omitteddetails consist merely of supports, bearings, uides. and connections.

The motor .here sliown has twelve cylinders C, (J C all substantiallyradial to a single main shaft S and spaced substantially equiangularlvabout the axis of the shaft similarly to the spokes of a wheel,preferably in the same plane perpendicular to the shaft. In eachcylinder are two opposed and oppositely reciprocating pistons; the innerpistons, those nearer the shaft, being designated A, A A and the outerpistons, those more distant from the shaft, being designated B 13 B. Onthe shaft are a crank JD, to which all the inner pistons are connectedby connecting also at respectively opposite sides ofthe zone in whichcrank D travels. Their connections with the outer pistons are made byconecting rods at opposite sides of the cylinders; the rods from theseveral outer pistons to crank D being designated F F F respectively,and the rods rom rank D to pistonsB and B (the only ones of this seriesof connecting rods herein shown) being designated F 21 and Frespectively, in Fig. 2. This arrangement of the cranks D and D and theconnecting rods between the same and the outer pistons is made for theobvious purpose of avoiding interference with the inner pistons and ofbalancing the transmitted stresses. In order to connectso'largea numberof connecting rods with each ofthe cranks, each crank pin is providedwith a bushing G having flanges in which are mounted pins H equal innumber to the cylinders, and to each of said pins H is connected one ofthe connecting rods, as clearly appears from Fig. 1.

It will be understood that in consequence of the arrangement described,the pistons in each cylinder reciprocate simultaneously, equally andoppositely to one another;v and this condition is fully illustrated byFig. 1,

wherein by comparing the successive cylinders with one another, thesuccessive stages I in the operation of the pistons in each cylinder maybe seen. The motor here shown is of the type operating on the two strokecycle, and I have therefore provided inlet and exhaust ports which arecontrolled by the pistons in their travel, and means for furnishing airunder moderate pressure for scavenging the cylinders and filling themwith fresh air after each working stroke. Such air-supplying means,comprises, in the combination here shown, a rotary 'pum or blower of thetype having substantlally radial pistons or blades 1, I which travel inan outer fixed cylindrical casing J with an inner cylindrical wall Kwhich is eccentric to the outer wall and rotates about its own axis.Thus a substantially crescent shaped space is provided between the outercasing and inner c lindrical wall, into which air is drawn by til theouter atmosphere through suitably arranged ports in the wall J, and fromwhich air is discharged, after being compressed by the blades, throughoutlet ports into an annular surrounding chamber or air chest L. Thepiston blades are carried by arms M and N which turn about .a shaft S inline, with the main shaft S, and are driven by a pin 0 from the outerarm of crank D This is a familiar and well tested type of rotary blower,the principles of which are illustrated in numerous Letters Patent,wherefore illustration of it in complete detail is deemed unnecessary.

I may state, without in any wise limiting e traveling piston blades fromthe scope of the protection claimed herein, that the pump is preferablydesigned to compress to a pressure of about four pounds per square incha quantity of air about 33 the blower is driven synchronously with themotor, substantially the same excess of air is provided whatever theactual speed of running may be.

The air chest L is in communication with annular passages L surroundingthe several cylinders and from which the admission ports L (Fig 1) openinto the interior of the cylinder, these ports being located where theyare uncovered by the inner piston shortly before the latter reaches thedead point at the end of its working stroke. The exhaust ports P arelocated to be controlled by the outer piston and be uncovered by thelatter shortly before the inlet ports L are .uncovered. Thus theexhausted working fluid begins to escape before fresh air is blown intothe cylinder, and such air continues to be admitted as long as theadmission ports remain open. As the ports are at the extreme oppositeends of the working chamber of each cylinder, the fresh air thus blownin completely drives out the exhaust gases before being compressed,wherefore the compressed gas,

vaporizing chamber Q, having a'fuel supply connection indicated at R,and to which are connected conduits T and U leading to the combustionspaces of the adjacent cylinders respectively, into which they openapproximately midway between the two pistons in each. These conduitscontain plug cocks V and W, which are adapted to be automatically openedand closed at the required times by any suitable mechanism drivensynchronously with the crank shaft. For the purpose of illustrating anoperating mechanism for this purpose, I have shown diagrammaticallyvalve-operating means comprising a plunger rod X adapted to move endwiseradially of the shaft and connected by links Y and Z with arms V and Wrespectively, of which the former is connected to the valve cock V andthe latter to the valve cock W All of the plunger rods X which operatethe several sets of valves are arranged in the same plane with one ofthe arms of crank D and on such arm is a cam 20 arranged to engage-saidrods in turn and move them outwardly, it being understood that the rodsare or may be constantly acted upon by springs or other to move theminwardly toward the shaft.

yieldable pressure-applying means tending The normal position of thevalves is the closed position, the plun er rod being then displacedtoward the sha t. The action and effect of the cam is to displace thevalveoperating rod outwardly and open the valves controlled thereby.This effect is accomplished in turn for each successive valve-operatingmechanism. I

Liquid fuel, which may be crude oil, fuel oil, kerosene, or othercombustible liquid, is admitted to each of the vaporizing chambers Q, atsome time when the valves controlling the conduits to and from thechamber are closed, preferably just after the closing of such valves.Any sort of pump or other injecting means ada ted to deliver regulatedquantities of fuel into the chambers, overcoming the pneumatic pressuretherein, may be used in conjunction with the motor. As I do not claimany specific pump or injecting means as a part of the invention forwhich I seek protection herein, I have not shown such means, but haveshown inlet connections R to represent and typify any practicable meanswhich may be employed for supplying 0r admitting fuel to the vaporizingchambers Q. Such fuel is vaporized more or less completely by the heatof the gas which is trapped in the chamber or chambers.

Shortly before the crank reaches the dead center with any cylinder inthe compression stroke, the valves in the conduits between that cylinderand the one in which the working stroke next precedes in the cycle ofthe motor begin to open, and they remain open until the crank hassomewhat passed the dead center. For convenience of further description,I will call the associated cylinders just referred to the precedingcylinder and the following cylinder, in the order of their action in thecycle of the motor. When opening of the valves occurs, the pistons inthe preceding cylinder have passed the dead center and commenced theirworking stroke, and that cylinder contains burning gas at a, highpressure, while the following cylinder contains pure air at a somewhatlower pressure. The burning gas is caused by this ressure difference toflow 'at a high rate 0 speed through the conduits and vaporizing chamberand to car with it the fuel previously entrapped in suc 1 chamber.Preferably the va' orizing chamber is circular in outline wit theconduits T and U tangential thereto, wherefore the rapidly flowing gasis caused to whirl about in the vaporizing chamber and to displace allof the fuel therein. Preferably also the opening of the conduit into thefollowing cylinder is shaped to cause spreading of the inflowing gas andfuel vapor over as much of the clearance space as possible. Es-

sentially the parts hereinbefore designated as conduits T and U and achamber Q, constitute one continuous conduit having a fuel inlet and afuel vaporizing space, and containing valves at opposite sldes of suchinlet and space; wherefore the term conduit as used in certain of thefollowing claims is defined as including such parts, as well asequivalent means having like functions and result but possibly differingin structure or form. But my claim to protection is not, however,entirely limited to the combination in which fuel is injected into suchconduits rather than directly into the several cylinders by other means,wherefore those claims which do not in express terms call for theadmission or presence of fuel in the conduits are to be construed asprotecting my invention in means for ignition or means for temporarilyequalizing pressures to a greater or less extent between two cylinders,in any motor whatever the provisions for supplying fuel to the cylindersthereof may be.

Reference is directed to Fig. 3, 4, and 5 for illustration of the timingof the fuel valves with respect to the movements of the motor pistons.Two of the adjacent cylinders as C and C are shown in these figures forillustration, and of these C is the cylinder distinguished by the termpreceding cylinder and C is the following cylinder. The valves begin toopen when the crank has passed the dead point with cylinder C and isabout 15 degrees before the dead point with cylinder C (Fig. 3), and theopening is complete when it is nearly at the dead point or preferablywithin 5 degrees of that point (Fig. 4). When the crank has passed about5 degrees beyond this dead point, the valves are again closed (Fig. 5.)

It is not absolutely necessary to open the valves as much as 15 degreesbefore the dead center in thefollowing cylinder since a pressuredifference of no more than :25 pounds per square inch is enough to drivethe gas from a vaporizing chamber to the next following cylinder asdescribed, within the time of 3 degrees of the cycle of the crank at arunning speed of 1800 revolutions per minute; but it is desirable to doso because then a greater quantity of gas will flow into the cylindercontaining air, making a more complete mixture of fuel vapor and air.Combustion takes place almost instantaneously upon entrance of the fuelvapor into the following cylinder and, in the arrangement here shown,the pressure due to the consequent heat generation would becomeexcessive before the piston in this cylinder has reached the end of itscompression stroke, if it were not for the fact that the valves remainopen until the crank has passed the dead center. But, as the combustionspace in the preceding cylinder is now increasing in volume and thepressure therein is diminishin a back flow of gas into this cylinder taes place through the still open connection from the 5 followingcylinder, which will maintain the pressure in both cylinders at anapprox mately constant moderate maximum untll the valves close. In oneengine which I have designed according to the principles just described,the charge of air in the following cylinder is compressed to a pressureof about 350 pounds per square inch when the connection with thepreceding cylinder is opened. The burning gas in the latter is at apressure of about 500 pounds, which makes a pressure difference amplysuificientto inject fuel into the following cylinder with the desiredrapldity. Thereafter during the combustion 1 of the fuel the pressure inboth cylinders is maintained at approximately 500 pounds. Although thehigh point of the combustion pressure is reached in the followingcylinder before the dead point,fno energy is lost because the pressurein this cylinder is communicated to the preceding cylinder as to whichthe crank has passed beyond the dead center. The figures above given arestated for the purpose of explaining the principle of the invention byspecific illustration and without limiting intent or effect. Afterclosing of the valves, expansion of the hot gases takes place in thepreceding cylinder until the exhaust ports of that cylinder are opened;and commences in the following cylinder, but without going far enough tocause any material lessening of pressure, until the valves in the likeconnection to the cylinder next following in the cycle of the motor areopened, when the whole cycle before described at length is repeated. Soeach successively acting cylinder of the motor becomes in turn, first,the following cylinder of the foregoing definition, and then thepreceding cylinder relatively to the one next following, throughout theWhole cycle of the motor in constantly repeated rotational sequence. Animportant advantage following from the before described method of firingis that the ignition is certain because it is effected by the directflow of burning gas from one cylinder to the next with the vaporizedfuel,

. into a charge of pure air which is already somewhat heated by reasonof its compression. This ignition means is free from the numerousdefects inherent in electrical ignition means, and is under the controlof 60, valves which. prevent pre-ignition. And, 'since ignition is notwholly dependent upon the heat of compressiom'there is no danger of thefuel failing to ignite on account of loss of pressure by leakage pastthe pistons.

A further advantage results from the same cause namely that it is notnecessary to use a highly volatile and inflammable fuel, since suchcomparatively inert liquid fuels as crude oil or kerosene may be ascertainly adapt the motor particularly for use with flying machinesbecause (a) the reliability of the firing means overcomes or avoids theprincipal causes of engine trouble for such machines; (6) the ability toburn nen-volatile oil eliminates danger of tank explosions and of themachine going down in flames; (0) the motor is light in weight per unitof power and has high efiiciency and therefore a large radius of action;(03) it has great 35 altitude possibilities because it will run aftergetting hot with a compression of less than 200 pounds, and furtherbecause the, blower supplies an excess quantity of air; (c) it containsno puppet valves, .While the, only valve-operating mechanism which itpossesses is of a type not liable to get out of order; (f) the powergeneration is more efiicient and more smoothly applied by reason of thecommunication which is opened between two cylinders at the time ofignition; (g) no carbureter is required; (it) all forces of thecompression and working strokes, of inertia, and of centrifugal forceare balanced, wherefore the motor runs smoothly and may be mounted on alight bed or support; (6) due to its simplicity, small frame, and shortcrank shaft, it can be made at low cost.

While the ignition means which I have hereinbefore particularlydescribed is shown as applied to a two-stroke cycle motor in which thecylinders are arranged as spokes of a wheel, I do'not limit my claimscovering the principle of this invention to either 116 a motor operatingon this cycle or to one having necessarily that arrangement of cylindersas distinguished from one having cylinders in the same plane with, andat one side of, the shaft. The essential principle may be adapted to anyplural cylinder motor having either opposed or single pistons byappropriately arranging the, conduits between successively actingcylinders and providing suitable valves and operating means 120 thereforto open the communications between such cylinders at the proper times.Hence, the term in rotation, or any term 'of equivalent import used inthe foregoing description and following claims with reference to thesequence of actions, does not I state or imply any limitation in thearrangement of cylinders or other structural feature of the motor, butmeans simply that the operations of the difi'erent cylinders occur 1 a0one after the other in recurring cycles. And also, the terms precedingand following as applied to the cylinders have no limiting significanceas to the mechanical arrangement or sequence, but define only the functional sequence or corresponding events of their individual cycles.

The motor may be started when cold by priming one or more of 'thevaporizing chambers with a volatile inflammable liquid which will igniteat the temperature to which air is raised by the compression. Ether isone such liquid suitable for this purpose. When hot, no priming isnecessary.

Having now described the principles of my invention and explained anoperative mode of putting them to use sufficient to enable those skilledin the art to apply and use the same, but without having attempted toexplain all the possible forms thereof or all possible modes of theiruse, or to show certain of the purely mechanical adjuncts which, whilein some form necessary to the mechanical functioning of the motor, arenot yet essential to an explanation of the invention, I declare thatWhat I claim and desire to. secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion motor, the combination with two cylindersoperating in succession, of means for transferring burning gas frombnecylinder, and unburned fuel at the same time, into a compressed body ofair in the other of said cylinders.

1 2. In an internal combustion plural cylinder motor, a fuel chamber,and means for simultaneously conductin burning gas from a precedingcylinder anc fuel from said fuel chamber to a following cylinder of themotor, said following cylinder meanwhile containing a charge of airunder pressure and bein in or near condition to commence a wor ingstroke.

3. A plural cylinder internal combustion motor having a crank andpistons in the several cylinders connected to said crank, conduitsbetween the cylinders which successively follow one another in the cycleof the motor, a fuel chamber in connection with each of said conduits,valves interposed in each conduit between the fuel chamber and thecylinders at each side thereof, and means for opening said valves in theconduit from each following cylinder to the preceding cylinder whenthecrank is approaching in the compression stroke the dead polnt with thefollowing cylinder.

4. An internal combustion motor comprising a series of cylinders, a fuelchamber between two cylindors of the series having a fuel inlet andadapted to confine a quantit of gas, conduits from said chamber to eacof said cylinders, through which gas may flow'to and from the chamber, avalve in each of said conduits, and means for o ening said valves atsuch times as to cause ow of burning gas through said conduits andchamber, and propulsion thereby of the fuel in the chamber, from oneinto the other of said cylinders.

5. An internal combustion motor comprisng a series of cylinders arrangedto operate in rotation, and means for causing transfer of burning gasfrom each precedently operat ngcylinder, and simultaneously causing 1n]ect1on of fuel, into the next succeedingly operating cylinder in turn.

6. An internal combustion motor comprisng a series of pistons arrangedto operate in rotation, and means for causing transfer of burning asfrom each precedently operating cylin er, with simultaneous injection offuel, into the next succeedingly'operating cylinder in turn at timesfollowing the commencement of the working stroke in said .precedentlyoperati cylinder and at or immediately prior'to t e maximum compressionin said succeedingly operating cylinder, respectively.

7. An internal combustion motor comprising a series of cylindersarranged to operate successively in rotation, conduits betweenthe.successively acting cylinders, valves in said conduits, and meansfor operating the valves in said conduits successively at such timesthat when combustion occurs in each cylinder a communicating passage forthe transmission of pressure is open therefrom to the next precedingcylinder.

'8. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank shaft, a series ofcylinders having pistons and connections arranged to apply powerimpulses successively in rotation to said shaft, means for admitttingair to said cylinders when the combustion spaces therein are enlarged bydisplacement of said pistons, conduits extending from the combustionchamber of each cylinder to that of the next in the order of operation,fuel chambers opening into each of said conduits, valves in each conduitbetween the fuel chamber and each of the cylinders with which theconduit is connected, means for admitting fuel to said chambers when thevalves are closed, and means for opening the valves in the severalconduits successively when the piston in one of the cylinders into whichthe conduit opens is in course of making its working stroke and thepiston in the other cylinder connected to the same conduit is close tothe dead point in its compression stroke; whereby in ection and ignitionof the fuel in the successively acting cylinders is effected by flow ofburning gas from the respectively precedently operating cylinders.

9. In an internal combustion motor of the character described thecombination with two successively operating cylinders and a conduitopening into the combustion chamvof the workin bers of both cylindersand connecting one with the other, a fuel chamber interposed in saidconduit, being formed and arranged to cause gas flowing through theconduit to enter and scour the interior of said chamber in its passage,means for admitting liquid fuel into said chamber, valves interposed insaid conduit between the fuel chamber and each of said cylinders, and anautomatic valveoperating means arranged to cause opening and closlng ofsaid valves at given times 1n the cycle of the motor.

10. In an internal combustion motor the combination with twosuccessively acting cylinders of a cylindrical fuel chamber 1ntermediate said cylinders, means for adm tting liquid fuel into saidchamber, conduits leading from the combustion spaces of both cylindersto said fuel chamber, the conduit from the preceding cylinder enteringthe chamber tangentially, whereby gas flowing through that conduittoward the chamber is caused to enter and scourthe chamber in passing tothe other conduit, and a valve in each conduit between said chamber andthe cylinder into which the conduit opens.

11. In an internal combustion motor the combination with twosuccessively acting cylinders of a cylindrical fuel chamber intermediatesaid cylinders, means for admitting liquid fuel into said chamber,conduits leading from the combustion spaces of both cylinders to saidfuel chamber and entering the latter tangentially, whereby gas flowingthrough either of said conduitstoward the chamber is caused to enter andscour the chamber in passing to the other conduit, and a valve in eachconduit between said chamber and the cylinder into which the conduitopens.

12. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank shaft, a'series ofcylinders arranged radially of said shaft and spaced equiangularly a outa common point, a crank on' said shaft, pistons in the several cylindersall connected to said crank, conduits between the combustion spaces ofthe successive cylinders in said series, means for admitting fuel intosaid conduits, valves in the several conduits, and means for operatingsaid valves in said conduits to open the latter successively after thecommencement stroke in each preceding cylinder and immediately prior tocommencement of such stroke in the next following cylinder, whereby fuelis injected into and ignited in each cylinder by the pressure and flowof the burning gas 1n each respectively preceding cylinder.

13. An internal combustion motor comprising a shaft, a series ofcylinders having pistons connected to said shaft and arranged to operatesuccessively in rotation, conduits connecting the combustion space ofeach cylinder with that of the cylinder immediately preceding in thecycle of the motor, said motor having provisions for separatelyadmitting air and fuel, and valve means arranged and operable to opensuch conduits in succession between each cylinder and the precedingcylinder at the time of igmtion of the charge in the former cylinderwhereby the pressures therein an'din the preceding cylinder are to acertain extent equalized.

14. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank shaft having opposedcranks, a series of cylinders surrounding said shaft in substantiallyradial arrangement, opposed pistons reciprocatively mounted in each ofsaid cylinders, connecting rods joining the 0 inner pistons of all thecylinders to one of said cranks and other connecting rods joining theouter pistons of all the cylinders to the other of said cranks, meansfor admitting air to the several cylinders when the pistons therein arewidely separated, and means for injecting fuel and transferring burninggas from a preceding cylinder, mto each cylinder when the pistonstherein are near together in compression.

15. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank shaft havin opposedcranks, a series of cylinders in radial arrangement with. substantiallyequiangular spacing around the axis of said shaft, and opposed inner andouter pistons in said cylinders, the inner pistons of all the cylindersbeing connected to one crank and the outer pistons of all the cylindersbeing connected to the other of said cranks.

16. An internal combustion motor comprising a crank shaft having opposedcranks, aseries of cylinders in radial arrangement with substantiallyequiangular spacing around the axis of said shaft, opposed inner andouter pistons in said cylinders, the inner pistons of all the cylindersbein connected to one crank-and the outer plstons of all the cylindersbeing connected to the other of said cranks, an annular air trunk and anair pump or blower driven by said 11 shaft arranged to supply air underpressure to said air trunk.

17. An internal combustion motor comprising a shaft having opposedcranks, cylinders radially arranged and substantially equiangularlyspaced around the axis of said shaft, opposed reciprocating inner andouter pistons in each cylinder, the inner pistons of all the cylindersbeing connected to one of said cranks and the outer pistons of all thecylinders connected to the other of said cranks, ports near the oppositeends of each cylinder controlled by the movement of the inner and outerpistons respectively and opened and closed thereby when 'the pistons areapproachin and receding from their extreme displace positions, the portat one end bein an admission port and that at the other en an exhaustport, means for supplying fresh air to the admission ports of theseveral cylinders, and means for separately admitting fuel to eachcylinder at an intermediate point when the pistons therein arerelatively near together.

18. An internal combustion motor comprising a shaft having opposedcranks, cylinders radially arranged and substan tially equiangularlyspaced around the axis of said shaft, opposed reciprocating inner andouter pistons in each cylinder, the inner pistons of all the cylindersbeing connected to one of said cranks and the outer pistons of all thecylinders connected to the other of said cranks, ports near the oppositeends of each cylinder controlled by the movement of the inner and outerpistons respectively and opened and closed thereby when the pistons areapproaching and receding from their extreme displaced positions, theport at one end being an admission port and that at the other end anexhaust port, means for supplying fresh air to the admission ports ofthe several cylinders, a fuel inlet to each cylinder at a pointsubstantially midway between the opposed pistons therein, and means forcauslng injection of fuel through said inlet when the pistons are at ornear their point of closest approach to one another.

19. An internal combustion motor comprising a shaft having opposedcranks, cylinders radially arranged and substantially equiangularlyspaced around the axis of said shaft, opposed reciprocating inner andouter pistons in each cylinder, the inner pistons of all the cylindersbeing connected to one of said cranks and the outer pistons of all thecylinders connected to the other of said cranks, ports near the oppositeends of each cylinder controlled by the movement of the inner and outerpistons respectively and opened and closed thereby when the pistons areapproaching and receding from their extreme displaced positions, theport at one end bein an admission port and that at the other end anexhaust port, means for supplying fresh air to the admission ports ofthe several cylinders, conduits each opening into two cylinderssubstantially midway between the pistons therein, means for delivera ingfuel to said conduit, and means for causing burning gas from eachpreceding cylinder to flow into the conduit leadin to the next followingcylinder when the pistons in the latter are at or near their point 01closest approach to one another.

20. An internal combustion motor com prising a crank shaft havin opposedcranks, a series of cylinders radia y arranged and substantiallyequiangularly spaced around said shaft, inner and outer opposedreciprocating pistons in each cylinder, the inner pistons of all thecylinders being connected with one crank and the outer pistons of allthe cylinders being connected to the other of said cranks, conduitsbetween the successive pistons of the series, means for admitting fuelto said conduits, valves in said conduits, and means for operating thevalves in the several conduits in turn to open the same when the pistonsin one of the cylinders with which the respective conduit connects arein course of their working stroke and those in the other cylinder withwhich the same conduit connects are at or near the end of thecompression stroke.

21. An internal combustion motor comprising a shaft, a crank on saidshaft, two cranks on the same shaft opposed to and arranged onrespectively opposite sides of the first named crank, radially arrangedand equiangularly spaced cylinders surrounding said shaft, inner andouter opposed reciprocating pistons in each of the cylinders, connectingrods from each of the inner pistons to the first named of said cranks,connecting rods from all of the outer pistons to each of the two opposedcranks, admission and exhaust ports in the cylinders controlled by theinner and outer istons,'an air pump or blower driven by said shaft,connections for delivering air from said pump to the admission ports ofthe several cylinders when the latter are opened, and means foradmitting fuel to each cylinder and igniting the fuel when the pistonsare at or near the end of their compression stroke.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

EUGENE A. FORD.

